Sledding to Save a Life 命を救うためにそり
by O'Mahari Amelia Oninja
Summary: 10-year old Oki is being bullied by Samickle for trying to be goods friends with Kai. Later on, Oki hears Kai is sick, and could possibly die. And with her mother expecting and no one to pay for medicine, Oki must grab some dogs, a sled, and head out for his journey to enter into the sledding games. Unfortunately Samickle purposely enters to humiliate Oki and save Kai himself.


"Oh no, look. Another ambitious ten degrees, and nothing but snow to look at. Don't you yearn for spring, Oki-chan?" A small little girl said to her companion, who was examining the glossy white snow that had a tint of ultramarine blue to make the ground like a painting.

"Spring?" The Oina gasped, "Kai do not rush the season's! The gods will get mad!" The angry young boy named Oki said as he looked the innocent girl in the eyes.

"Get mad? About what? I am only upset that it is so cold-" Kai sobbed.

"So cold? Then wear another jacket! Look at you!" Oki looked down at Kai and the one pitiful sweater she wore. It was a pity, she wasn't as wealthy as his family, she was normally cold this time of year. Her green and brown jacket only went down to her knees, and her boots were nearly faded so the snow could leak in them and cause her to get frostbite.

"Haha," Oki laughed, "Don't you worry, I'll buy you a pair of boots, and a new sweater. How does that sound?" Oki smiled as he patted his friend's head, after all, he knew it was the least he could have done for her.

"You would do that...f-for m-me?" Kai blushed as she peaked her eyes over her gloves.

"Why not? And on the way home we can go get some supper!"

So then the two skipped their way to an old shoe taylor after picking Kai a better-knitted sweater and even a matching wool hat to go with it. Being cautious to enter the store, they scraped their shoes on the carpet and greeted the clerk, who happened to be Kai's mother. She was a young twenty-four year-old with a small size but a large heart. She tried her best to take care of her one child, with only herself and no father. She watched her daughter with her two hazel eyes with Oki, comforted she had a friend to play with.

"Good morning little ones, how are we today?" Kai's mother knelt down to reach their height.

"Always good ma'am!" Oki nudged forward. Kai held her new clothes to her mother, who was surprised of to where she had gotten them.

"Heavens! Where on earth did you ever get the money for those!?" She grabbed the hat and stroked the wool on it, and was bewildered of the many colors on the coat.

"Oki-chan bought them for me! Very nice of him, right Mama?" Oki tried to look like he had not heard anything to avoid the attention of the woman, but he had failed.

"Very! How generous of you Oki!" Kai's mother ran through his red and black hair. "Are you here to buy some shoes for her too?"

"O-of c-course not! I w-was just dropping her off! T-that's all!" Oki became embarrassed and shrugged his shoulders in a pouting fashion and stampered off.

"Oki-chan, no need to be so upset, I am only teasing you a bit... You are extremely good to my little Kai, and we are grateful you have so much to share, and I will reward you for your kindness with lunch, alright?" The two girls watched Oki's brown eyes lighten and his shoulders come down.

"Alright." He replied.

In the back of the store was Kai's home. Indeed it was cramped, only one space- not even a second floor like his home had. Inside was a stove, kettle, some pillows and one big table, and on the very end was a fire and some beds going all around. And as Kai's mother made lunch, something caught Oki's eyes. A cradle in the corner by the window of the hut made Oki wonder, "Is it for her dolls? Or is Kai's mother..." Oki's though was interrupted when in front of him was a bowl of black-bean soup and some red-bean rice to go with it.

"She sure eats good for being as poor as she is..." Oki thanked for the meal, and after they all blessed the food, Kai's mother began to start conversation.

"Oki, how are things with your family?"

"Mmm, so so I guess. My father wants me to go to school this spring."

"Oh my, isn't school expensive?"

"Yes, and it is not for my normal sword-training either, he wants me to be a scholar, not a warrior like I want to be!"

"Oh dear, can't your mother change his mind?"

"Of course not."

"Dear, I'm sorry about that, maybe you can cheer yourself up this season with a sport. Like, maybe you could enter the dog-sledding race instead."

"Nah...sledding isn't any great. Sometimes I got out by myself to watch it, it's all too much work with those dogs. And some of those people are serious about all of the money that it has to offer. Some get killed."

"Well, warriors can get killed, can't they?" Kai's mother giggled.

"Of course ma'am, you are correct..."

After supper Kai's mother bowed and thanked Oki again for all he gave to Kai that day. Oki smiled as he went out. In his heart lay a content and warm feeling that anyone would get when you had known you had really helped someone out.

Walking home was a challenge in Kamui. All of the snow was gorgeous, yet it had it's dark side. The thickness of the snow was a pain to walk in, and ruined most of the shoes people wore. The snow was falling at a good speed for Oki to walk through.

A moment of peace came through him, until he was suddenly pelted on the back with something. His vision became dense as his brain awoke from the glittery snow, to the dark depths of his eyelids as they closed beneath the ground. Above him stood three boys, and all of them were natural bullies. The main bully, or so called the team captain, was Samickle. He never liked Oki and his fruitful kindness, and often picked on him about being friends with a girl.

Oki tried to pick himself up, but he was only kicked into the snow again and laughed at by Samickle's companions- Choyu and Choyen.

"Haha, look at this little kid with little girls!"

"And especially buying stuff for them too!"

"What a joke!"

Oki blushed and growled, and glared at Samickle. "So? You have a problem with it?" Oki snarled.

"Of course we don't, but it's just plain obvious that you really love her don't you? Haha!"

"Oki likes a poor girl! Hahah!"

The boys laughed and Oki tried not to cry. As his red hair covered his eyelids from being visible Oki looked up, and saw that the boys had left to tell their other friends of their seeings. Oki's heart now crushed, he had nothing left but to cry in the snow, and let his salty tears melt the white snow, with anger bleeding in his heart.


End file.
